Spotify just found out there’s such a thing as too much Drake.
Photo: Mike Windle (Getty)
This weekend, Spotify users were bombarded with the stern visage of Aubrey “Drake” Graham as part of a promotional deal, known as “ScorpionSZN”, meant to promote the artist’s latest album, Scorpion.
While Drake is definitely a household name, that doesn’t mean everyone on Spotify was happy about the artist taking over the streaming platform, especially when some Spotify-created playlists that featured Drake’s photo were in fact devoid of the titular artist.
Spotify: hey, we make playlists catered to your unique tastes.
Spotify user: listens to 18 hours of Mongolian throat singing, Icelandic drumming bands and a peruvian death metal band.
Spotify: pls listen to drake— Spochadóir. (@creamygoodness_) July 1, 2018
On Reddit, user Jakebirdseye complained that, according to their count, less than half of the playlists featuring Drake on the playlist cover actually contained the artist’s songs.
“I’m not ripping on how bad Spotify is, but rather I am trying to make notice of the fact that this could be a very bad trend if it continues, allowing already hugely famous artists to take over the playlists that we love and the community we love on Spotify,” wrote Jakebirdseye.
That also means some playlists feature Drake songs when they absolutely should not have Drake songs. Variety confirmed this detail, reporting that Drake “is on the cover of RapCaviar, Beast Mode, Today’s Top Hits, Morning Commute and [other playlists] – including ones where his music isn’t even featured”.
i’m upset. pic.twitter.com/FO1e49GEq9
— nobigdyl. (@nobigdyl) July 1, 2018
The Drake spam so annoyed some users that they began demanding Spotify refund their payment for the month. (A Spotify customer service person told Gizmodo they don’t offer refunds because people are annoyed about Drake.)
Regardless, it’s clear that saturating the streaming service with a single artist’s mug is a good way to spark avoidable outrage.
Screenshot: Patrick Lucas Austin (Gizmodo)
Spotify’s deal with Drake is somewhat puzzling, considering Drake’s reported $US19 million ($26 million) contract with Apple Music.
Whether the artist is on good terms with the Cupertino company is up for debate after Drake’s reference to Apple Music executive Larry Jackson in his remix of Jay Z’s “Family Feud” track, on which Drake ripped on Jackson for ostensibly giving him a bum deal.
Spotify did not immediately respond to our request for comment about the Drake deal and the uproar it caused. But the company did tweet about the artist’s album on Saturday, stating it was streaming at a rate of 10 million times per hour.